Never Let Failure Defeat You
by CoverGirl7210
Summary: "Everything that was rightfully yours is now mine." A sudden commotion catches the Captains attention, now he really had lost everything. "Blistering barnacles! Let Tintin go!" Story on The Adventures of Tintin movie. One-shot, I own nothing.


Captain Archibald Haddock stood staring at Sakarin, neither man backing down.

Sakharin smirked as he holds the flame just above the three scrolls "You've lost again Haddock, why not have another drink? It's all you've got left isn't it?" Haddock's tired eyes roam to the alcohol clutched in his hands, debating whether or not he should simply drink his problems away.

"Everything that was rightfully yours, is now mine." Continues Sakharin, the man was basking in the vengeful moment. He'd also prepared a small surprise for Haddock, his first mate Allan was currently fetching. A sudden commotion catches the Captains attention, he can only stare as the tied up boy he'd come to care for was dragged towards Sakharin.

"Let me go!" yells the defiant Tintin, his wrists bound firmly behind his back, neck in a choke hold as the teen is dragged. Allan chuckled before he forced the red head into his Captains waiting arms "Here he is Sir; all trussed up and ready to go."

"I said to let go of me!" Tintin fights, he hadn't expected to be grabbed or used against the Captain in such a way, only these brutes had planned this little scheme in advanced, they laid in wait for the perfect opportunity and he stupidly granted their wishes the moment he went to help Haddock. "Now it all makes sense ... You came here to trap us!"

"Blistering barnacles! Let Tintin go!" Demands Haddock, now he really had lost everything, the bottle is raised to be thrown, all thoughts of drinking now gone.

"It appears you've grown to care for this young man, Haddock. I must say I'm curious to see just how much." Sakharin takes a step further back, the man now stood inches from falling into the seas "If I threw him in and set the papers a flame, which would you save?"

Tintin's eyes widen, he couldn't let this happen "Captain, don't worry about me! I'll be fine, just focus on the scrolls."

"I'll do it, Haddock, the boy means nothing to me and neither does the treasure." Explains Sakharin as he tightens his hold on the squirming redhead "but I know they mean a great deal to you"

"Barnacles! Don't hurt the wee lad" begs Haddock, this boy had freed him; he'd tried his hardest to return his ship and treasure to him "Alright you blistering fool, you can have the ship and the treasure, but I get ta keep Tintin!"

"Captain, no! That's just what he wants, you have to leave me!" Screams Tintin "Take your ship and run while you still can!"

"It's no use, boy, he won't be leavin you behind. The fool cares for you far too much for that" Answers Sakharin, his hand drawing the flame closer while pushing his hostage backwards "So after all this you'd give it all away to save this young man?"

Tintin shakes his head back and forth, would this man he'd only just met be willing to give up an entire fortune and family legacy just for him? "Captain, you don't owe me anything and you can leave if you'd like. You're not obligated to look out for me."

Those words stung, but Haddock shakily nods his head, before clutching his fists, yes he wanted his ship, his treasure and all that was stolen from his namesake, but that was before he'd met Tintin. That red headed nuisance and fluffy dog had wormed their ways straight into his old heart, he loved that little know it all as if he were his own child.

"What kind of a stupid question is that? I won't be damned by some mutinous rat and scaly wag crew! Aye that ship belongs to me, and at the beginning all that I wanted, but that was before that irritating ginger showed up! I owe that lad more than I could ever give and I won't be abandonin him now."

Tintin's struggles cease as Sakharin smiles "Captain, what are you doing? You're playing right into their hands! They're using me to exact revenge upon you! I'll be killed either way, so please, just run! You honestly owe me nothing, but they want you to think otherwise!"

"Lad, you'd give up your life just so I could get away? We haven't failed yet boy, you care about something then you fight for it."

Tintin smiles as he recites the words from that very conversation, the moment where the captain changed his mind, he'd been ready to throw in the towel, until that speech "You hit a wall, you push through it, you can never let failure defeat you." Blue eyes now search the docks, what did he have at his disposal? Not much judging from his current state, but fire and alcohol "Great snakes!"

Sakharin freezes upon the boys yell, the kid was up to something, better end him now "What do you say, Haddock? Let's put the lad out of his misery."

"No!" Tintin plants his feet firmly over the edge, the hands bound behind his back arched in preparation "Throw the bottle, Captain!"

Haddock smiles "Aye lad, here she comes!" The rum is launched into the air; Tintin uses his elbow to push the flame directly in front of the liquids trajectory. Upon impact the glass shatters, releasing the smelly drink in the fire, exploding as it had done in the boat, only this time in Sakharin's now bleeding hand.

This left the captor no choice but to release his prisoner and move to soothe his ailing appendage "Allan, throw him into the drink!" Tintin jumps, using the momentum to get his hands back in front, unfortunately still tightly bound, but ready for a fight none the less.

"Why you little!" Allan rushes the boy, intending on using his body to toss the brat into the sea, only to suddenly be pulled back by a familiar bite on his leg. "Good boy, Snowy!" Expresses Tintin, his white fox terrier had saved his life once again. The ginger lowers to pick up the discarded poems "I've got them, Captain!"

"Ten thousand thundering typhoons, nobody hurts Tintin!" Haddock punches Sakharin straight into the chilly waters, another splash later has first mate Allan landing a top the flailing man.

"I'd say that's a job well done, Captain." States Tintin as he moves to stand next to Haddock "I believe these are rightfully yours." Haddock stares as the red head puts the crumpled papers into his hands "Well done my boy, let's get those ropes off and go."

Tintin nods and allows Haddock to mess with the bindings, slowly undoing the series of many intricate knots "Captain" Haddock continues his untying, but acknowledged the lad "What is it, Tintin?"

"I wanted to say thank you for saving my life, you didn't listen to me and normally that would be most aggravating, however, in this case it was my saving grace, so thank you. I know how much the treasure and the Unicorn means to you and I'm very grateful."

"I couldn't let ya down lad, not again. There's always gonna be another treasure to find, but only one pipsqueak ginger." The man couldn't get the boy's face out of his mind after he claimed to smell the alcohol all over him or the defeated scowl at the news his scroll that Tintin had entrusted to the Captain was taken.

"I have to say that's a new one, Captain, a ginger I am, but a pipsqueak? I'm of average height and build for a boy my age." Jokes Tintin, his voice returning to its serious tone directly afterwards "But you never failed me nor do I want you to feel that you owe me anything, do we have a deal, Captain Haddock?"

Haddock contemplates as the small hand is held before him, awaiting a shake; instead the Captain joyously rushes the lad into his arms, the pair embracing as they turn around in circles.

"Captain, as fun as this is we still have a mystery to solve and a treasure to find!" screams Tintin, the boy now plucked off his feet as the elder continues his swing. Archibald Haddock laughs for the first time in months, this kid was going to be the death of him, but he'd have it no other way.

 **So I've been watching The Adventures of Tintin and this idea just came to me, I wanted to express the deep connection between these two characters and this little beauty was created! I hope you enjoyed it :)**


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